Mi Barrio

I could have lived in the hustle bustle of "El Centro," a short walk from the cathedral and Santa Cruz. Or I could have lived in Triana with all the pristine, quaint houses with faint sounds of flamenco bursting from the cobble stone sidewalks. I could have lived in la Alameda with the grudgy, one-dreaded Spanish hippies and the flirty, butch/queeny gays (great alternative!). I could have lived in Nervion with all the major stores like Zara and Mango, with which I have fallen in love. Or in the "DLP" (short for Avenida DE LA PAZ) where I hear of the most "interesting" stories from my classmates and where Alcampo (aka, Spanish Walmart) is just a hop, skip and a jump away. I could have lived in Montequinto with a cute, small town feeling and the lovely proximity to school. But instead, I ended up in El Porvenir, literally translated to "the future," a small section of town within a stone's throw of la Plaza de Espana, and in my opinion, the best option that I didn't even know I had.

Felipe II is my street. I live about halfways between Avda. de la Borbolla and Calle Pilar Bardem (mother to Javier, their family is quite famous in Spain, obvs). The entrance to my place is set back from the street with a little drive-way used for the driving school that shares the building with us. I live on the third floor and my room over looks the drive. We have a spacious apartment, but the kitchen is my favorite room, other than my own. Its so, Spanish... there is really no other way to put it. A large window is situated at the end that over looks my bottom floor neighbor's courtyards and patios (of which I am VERY jealous) and has a nice view of my favorite sight in the city, la Plaza de Espana. *See below*



On my street there is a SuperSol (a fantastic little grocery store), a few Chinos (it sounds racist, but that's what they call them.... basically dollar store/convenient store), a Mascarpone (BEST ICECREAM EVER), a few restaurants, a bar that serves great drink specials, a couple of bakeries, possibly a branch of every bank in Spain, a farmacia, and a few other odd and ends shops.

I think my favorite part of my day is my walk home at night. Monday-Thursday I have class until 7. The metro is about a 10 minute walk from my door, not bad. The first half of my walk is not so exciting, usually a cute dog or kid... nada mas. But once I get to the corner where I need to turn on my street, its totally different.

It starts with the three stooges, as I have dubbed them. These three old guys sit on the corner of my street every evening and talk and gossip and stare at those walking by. Then, there are the catholic school girls in their plaid skirts, zooming around on their roller blades, whipping in and out of the bike lane. The ornery middle school boys waiting outside the tobacco or Chino stores, waiting to ask someone to buy them some party favors. The dogs you think are stray but aren't really start to follow me down the street. Attractive, Spanish men with their jogging shorts on off for a run in the park. Older Spanish women meandering the streets linked arms with a friend, going to buy ingredients for dinner. Its such a picturesque view of Spanish life, it makes me feel like I'm a part of a community, its a homey feeling, you know?

I have come to notice the routines of the people. I have started to see the same old man with the same hat that he's probably worn for years, walking his scruffy little dog up and down the street. The same store owner with the adorable little boy who rides his tricycle outside the shop. The man behind the counter of the tobacco store who always gives me the evil eye, for some reason unknown to me... The same group of men who every Wednesday morning meet in the park on the street parallel to mine at 8 and get their "wake and bake" on before going to work construction. I can smell them from 50 feet away. It's starting to feel a little more comfortable in this crazy, Spanish city that I love.

Just thought I'd share. Hope all is well at home! I miss my pumpkin spice lattes, corn dogs and milk. Ha! And of course all of you beautiful people. I'll be home in a little less than two months! December 19, mark your calendars.

Un beso.